NCPA


Policy Issues

NCPA Publications

Both Sides

Editorial Opinions

Audio/Visual


NATIONAL CENTER FOR POLICY ANALYSIS
HOME / DONATE / ONE LEVEL UP / ABOUT NCPA / CONTACT US
Study Says Joint Custody of Children Helps
Daily Policy Digest

Social Issues / Divorce

Thursday, March 28, 2002
When a couple approaches divorce, it would be wise to decide on joint custody for the children, a new study contends. Children in joint custody tend to have fewer behavioral and emotional problems than those assigned to just one parent, according to a report in the Journal of Family Psychology.

Here are a few highlights of the research:

  • Children in joint custody are said to have higher self esteem, better family relations and better school performance than those in sole custody (usually by the mother).
  • Although those in sole custody are not necessarily maladjusted, they tend not to do as well on average.
  • Keeping fathers in the loop seems to help children adjust, researchers say.
o Psychologist Robert Bauserman of the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene examined 33 studies that looked at 1,846 sole-custody and 814 joint-custody children as well as children in 251 intact families to come to his conclusions.

Sole-custody parents seem to continue high levels of conflict over parenting decisions, while joint-custody parents appear to be more capable of parenting together with less emotional conflict, he found.

The findings contradict experts who believe joint custody disrupts the stability of a child's life shifting back and forth between parents.

Source: Karen S. Peterson, "Joint Custody Best for Kids After Divorce, Study Says," USA Today, March 25, 2002; based on Robert Bauserman, "Child Adjustment in Joint-Custody Versus Sole-Custody Arrangements: A Meta-Analytic Review," Journal of Family Psychology, 2002, Vol. 16, No. 1, American Psychological Association.

For USA Today text
http://www.usatoday.com/news/healthscience/health/
child/2002-03-25-joint-custody.htm

For more on Divorce
http://www.ncpa.org/iss/soc
12770 Coit Rd., Suite 800 - Dallas, TX 75251-1339 - 972/386-6272 - Fax 972/386-0924
601 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Suite 900 South Building - Washington, DC 20004 - 202/220-3082 - Fax 202/220-3096
Copyright © 2002 National Center for Policy Analysis - All rights reserved.